Electronic devices such as computers typically have graphics cards, input/output (I/O) cards, or other expansion cards that are large and heavy. During shipment, an electronic device may be subjected to shock and vibration that exceeds the holding capacity of traditional rear mounting screws and board connectors. Consequently, expansion cards and the surrounding electronics may be damaged during shipment, rendering the electronic device non-functional.
A variety of techniques may be used to secure expansion cards during shipment. For example, a full-length Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) expansion card may include an end retainer that can be secured to the chassis of the electronic device using a front attachment screw. However, the end retainer does not provide intermediate support for the expansion card, which leaves the expansion card vulnerable to vibrations and movement. Another example is a retaining apparatus mounted to a bar that spans the chassis over the expansion card. Unfortunately, the bar renders the expansion card inaccessible unless the bar is first removed.
Some retention apparatuses are made from multiple parts and are designed to accommodate expansion cards of a wide variety of sizes. Although such retention apparatuses are effective, they are also relatively complex and expensive. One example of such a retention apparatus is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/723,024, “Expansion Card Support Mechanism,” to Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P., which was filed on Nov. 26, 2003. With the advent of the recent Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus standard called “PCI-Express,” expansion card manufacturers are now strongly encouraged to build expansion cards in one of two sizes: (1) full-height and (2) low-profile. A multi-piece retention apparatus designed to accommodate expansion cards of a wide variety of sizes is unnecessarily elaborate and expensive in the context of PCI-Express cards.
It is thus apparent that there is a need in the art for an improved expansion card retainer.